Immortals After Dark Book 16 - Page 106

“Nooo, Kierra! Save your power!”

The black holes grew hungrier, sucking at Kierra’s legs. Her instinct clamored for her to become intangible. But she wasn’t old enough yet. “Just try to reach a portal!”

Mother shook her head, her dark hair streaming all around her. “I need to keep yours open . . . as long as possible!” The sky plummeted lower, like the ceiling of a collapsing tunnel.

Mother’s raised arm whipped in the howling gusts. “I’m going to let him go into the winds!” Her newborn? She wouldn’t dare! “I’ll direct him to you.”

“Noooo, I might miss him! Please . . . chance any portal!”

“Catch him, Kierra! I know you can do it. And then don’t ever let him go!”

With a cry, Mother released her precious baby to the winds. Just before he reached Kierra, huge spikes of crystal shot from the ground, sending him adrift by inches.

Kierra tensed her every muscle, readying to snare him. He was rising, heading for another vortex!

“Don’t let him go!” Mother screamed.

“No, no!” Kierra stretched, her fingers splayed. An inch of s.p.a.ce separated them. . . .

She managed a spurt of telekinesis . . . she snagged his swaddling! “Got him!” She cradled him with one arm. He was so tiny, his screams so loud. He didn’t even have a name yet.

More explosions. Fire surged from the valley, racing toward them. Still holding up the sky, Mother went intangible. “You have to escape, dear one. You have to go.” Lava seeped from the ground all around her.

“Come now!” Kierra screamed, tears streaming down her face. But she knew her mother would remain to defend this vortex entrance as long as possible.

“Keep him close. Protect him. I love you both so much.” Flames towered around her ghostly form, about to swallow her. She mouthed, Dear one, please go.

Kierra mouthed back, We love you. Past the flames, they met eyes. I’ll protect him.

Mother nodded and forced a watery smile. Just before she was engulfed, she saw Kierra release her hold and the vortex suck her children in—

Flying. Spinning. Weightless.

Kierra clutched the baby close as she zoomed down a tunnel of black, twirling over and over.

Vortex chutes crisscrossed. Waves of lava flooded in from other openings, speeding toward her and the baby. “Ah, G.o.ds, no!” She used her telekinesis to attempt a bubble around them. She hunched over her brother as lava coated the shield, heat and pressure grinding down on it.

Please hold, please hold, please hold.

That crushing force beat against her telekinesis. She clenched her eyes shut and prayed over and over. . . .

The heat gradually faded. She dared to glance up, blinking in confusion. Crystal? Her power had met lava under pressure, creating a transparent sh.e.l.l. It wrapped around her and the baby. A coc.o.o.n.

Time pa.s.sed. Their momentum slowed. When the baby quieted, the total silence hit Kierra, and she sobbed for her mother. For her friends. For her world. She tucked her brother into the folds of her cloak, determined to protect him.

Eons eked by as they floated in their crystal coc.o.o.n, but they didn’t age. Though she never felt hunger, she would cut her wrist and feed the baby.

Onward they floated.

Just when she’d decided they would be trapped in this existence forever, Kierra gazed up. Through the crystal, she witnessed . . . stars being born. She watched one planet learn how to spin. She could perceive the rotation of others. As if they danced for her.

Heaven.

She wept from the unutterable beauty. There’s a curtain over the universe, but I’m seeing behind it. Yet she wasn’t to know these secrets. They weren’t hers. No one child could bear that weight.

Splendor broke her mind.

Her body was robbed of power, her abilities stunted. Her memories withered.

She and the baby continued on, floating as worlds bloomed and waned. Before her lids finally slid shut, she saw the universe reflected in an infant’s half-closed eyes. . . .

Awakening. Can’t feel my limbs!

After unending silence, she screamed, thrashing her legs. She jerked upright, banging her head against something. Crystal shattered all around her. Foreign sounds pained her sensitive ears. She hissed at the bright yellow light above.

Where am I? How have I come to be here? Ah, G.o.ds, who am I?

Movement in her arms. What was it? She opened her cloak to reveal a little infant just waking, blinking at her with hazel eyes, and all she knew was . . .

Love.

Her mother had given Thad to her! He and Jo had crossed the entire universe together. It couldn’t end like this! She gasped out, “Thaddie.” She reached for him, grasping, grasping—as she had fourteen years ago.

He stalked closer.

She couldn’t maintain her telekinesis against Rune for much longer. He was fighting so hard! “Thaddie . . .”

“Us. Thad-de-us. That’s my name.”

Air. Need air. Rune was breaking free. “Thad . . . pack.”

Thad’s brows drew together, his outline flickering. “What did you say?” The chokehold eased.

“Brother! Here . . . to save you.”

He released her with a yell. “Are you . . . Jo?” He traced to her, catching her just as her vision went dim.

SIXTY-FIVE

Freed from Josephine’s telekinesis, Rune traced to Thaddeus. “Hand her over to me.” He was all but begging with his bow shouldered and his palms up.

Thad ghosted with his unconscious sister in his arms, making her intangible as well. Rune couldn’t s.n.a.t.c.h her away. He’d never wanted to fight so badly. Never had so many reasons why he couldn’t.